Contents

Biography

Polliver is a Lannister man-at-arms under the command of Ser Amory Lorch. He accompanies Lorch in the attack on Yoren and his Night's Watch recruits. He knocks Arya Stark over when she runs to join the fight and takes Needle from her. When the Lannister forces are victorious they take the survivors prisoner. Polliver uses Needle to kill Lommy Greenhands, because the boy cannot walk and he is not willing to carry him. Arya fools Lorch and his men into believing that Lommy was their target; the Royal bastard Gendry. Gendry is actually among the captives.[1]

Lorch and his men deliver the prisoners to Ser Gregor Clegane at Harrenhal. Ser Gregor oversees the torture of the captives, killing several of them. Polliver beats an old woman prisoner for asking him for a crust of bread. Gendry is selected to be tortured while Polliver stands guard. Lord Tywin Lannister arrives during the torture and asks Gregor what is going on. Gregor says that they were not expecting Tywin for another day. Tywin asks why the prisoners are not in their cells. Gregor says that their cells are overflowing. Polliver interjects that the prisoners will not be there long. Tywin asks if they are so well manned that they can afford to discard able and skilled prisoners. Polliver catches Arya looking at Needle in his sword belt and orders her to kneel, calling her boy. Tywin immediately realizes that she is a girl and calls Polliver an idiot. He asks why she has dressed as a boy and she says that it was safer to travel. He says that she is smart and orders the prisoners put to work. He says that Arya will be his new cupbearer.[2]

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Polliver is a Lannister man-at-arms but he is under the command of Ser Gregor Clegane instead of Ser Amory Lorch. In the books it is Lorch who leads the attack on Yoren's recruits but Arya, Gendry, Hot Pie and Lommy escape. They are captured later by Clegane's men and Lommy is killed by Raff the Sweetling rather than Polliver. Nevertheless it is Polliver that takes Needle.